Skip to main content

Bringing folk music and people together for over 50 years!
Golden Link Folk Singing Society

Press Releases

Golden Link presents Dead to the Core: An acoustic celebration of the Grateful Dead

David Townsend | Published on 3/18/2022

 

 

P.O. Box 92398

Rochester, NY 14692

www.goldenlink.org

 

 

Media contact (not for publication): Dave Townsend, (585) 467-8690

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 18, 2022

 

Golden Link presents Dead to the Core: An acoustic celebration of the Grateful Dead

 

Rochester, NY – Dead to the Core is a collective of singer-songwriters and acoustic musicians who pay tribute to the music of the Grateful Dead. Featuring Jefferson Hamer, Ryan Fitzsimmons and Laurence Scudder, and Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers with Wendy Ramsay, the group celebrates the band’s music not through note-for-note re-creations but by playing the songs their own way – letting them grow and evolve collaboratively in the true spirit of the Dead. They will be performing on Saturday, April 9, 2022, at 7:30 pm at the Rochester Christian Reformed Church, 2750 Atlantic Avenue, Penfield. See below for Golden Link’s COVID safety protocols.

 

A Dead to the Core show is an experience unlike any other Grateful Dead tribute: a night of deeply personal performances that illuminate the masterful song craft of one of America’s most original bands. Interspersed with the music are clips from Rodgers’ own interviews with Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir, in which they reflect on the roots and evolution of the music.

 

Jefferson Hamer is an internationally touring songwriter, guitarist, and traditional musician based in Brooklyn. He performs with The Murphy Beds and Session Americana, and his guitar work and vocals are featured on Sarah Jarosz’s Blue Heron Suite, nominated for a 2022 Grammy. Hamer’s Child Ballads album with Anaïs Mitchell earned a BBC2 Folk Award and was named one of NPR’s top-10 folk releases of the year.

 

Ryan Fitzsimmons and Laurence Scudder are fixtures of the Boston roots-rock scene and frequent collaborators. Fitzsimmons, a Syracuse native, has built a reputation as one of the Northeast’s most compelling songwriters and, in the words of Red Line Roots, “a brutal force of nature on acoustic guitar.” Violist/songwriter Laurence Scudder toured and recorded for seven years with the Ryan Montbleau Band, and currently performs with Spotted Tiger, Danielle M and the Glory Junkies, Thank God for Science, Brothers McCann, and other bands.

 

Syracuse-based musician Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers is a grand prize winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, founding editor of Acoustic Guitar magazine, and author of a best-selling video series teaching his acoustic arrangements of classic Grateful Dead songs. Joining him is multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Wendy Ramsay, his partner in the duo of Pepper and Sassafras.

 

“Rodgers doesn’t tap the legion of dedicated Grateful Dead tribute artists for these concerts…. Instead, he seeks out songwriters and musicians who have developed their own voices and styles, though they are very much inspired by – and fans of – Garcia and the Dead.” – Arts Fuse

 

Online ticket sales end at midnight on April 8.

General Admission: $25 ($27 at the door)

Golden Link Members: $20 ($22 at the door)

Students: $10

Children age 5-12: $5

 

* Important Concert Changes Due to the COVID pandemic:

Tickets can now also be purchased at the gate. We still encourage purchasing in advance through the website to expedite your entry into the concert. And purchasing in advance will save you money!

• All attendees must provide Proof of Vaccination at the gate, along with a Photo ID

Masks are recommended, but not required while in the building.

• Due to vaccine age limits, children under 5 cannot attend.

• No food or drink will be provided except for bottled water.

 

See below for a calendar listing of this and other upcoming concerts.

 

Phone or email interviews with the performer(s) can be arranged.

 

Photos of the performers are available at:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1g33uBewXGIUBG3j9oCPGjpEUZc8j82fG?usp=sharing

 

Founded in 1971, the Golden Link Folk Singing Society is dedicated to presenting, promoting, and preserving folk music in the Rochester area. Golden Link is a volunteer-operated and member-supported 501(c)3 not-for-profit arts, cultural, and educational organization.

 

CALENDAR LISTINGS

 

 

Dead to the Core

An acoustic celebration of the Grateful Dead

Saturday, April 9, 2022, 7:30 pm

Rochester Christian Reformed Church, 2750 Atlantic Avenue, Penfield NY 14526

 

Dead to the Core is a collective of singer-songwriters and acoustic musicians who pay tribute to the music of the Grateful Dead. Featuring Jefferson Hamer, Ryan Fitzsimmons and Laurence Scudder, and Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers with Wendy Ramsay, the group celebrates the band’s music not through note-for-note re-creations but by playing the songs their own way – letting them grow and evolve collaboratively in the true spirit of the Dead.

 

Proof of vaccination is required for everyone in attendance. Masks are recommended, but not required. Advance ticket purchases are recommended, but tickets will also be available at the door.

 

Tickets: General Admission: $25 ($27 at the door), Golden Link Members: $20 ($22 at the door), Students: $10, Children age 5-12: $5.

For more information and tickets to concerts, visit www.goldenlink.org.

 

 

John McCutcheon: The Story Behind the Song – Requests!

Saturday, May 7, 2022; 8:00 pm Eastern Time

Streaming on Mandolin with a 48-hour replay window

 

Powerful singer-songwriter, master instrumentalist, storyteller, activist, and author John McCutcheon performs an evening of his music and tells the stories behind the songs – like where he came up with the idea for a song, how he researched one of the many historical songs he’s written, or who he wrote it for. Send in your request, in advance, that he sing and talk about a song you’ve always wanted to hear. 

 

Golden Link is one of a number of presenters who are sponsoring this concert on Mandolin and a portion of every ticket purchased via Golden Link will also help support our organization.

 

Tickets: $20 general admission, $30 family/household, Students: $10

For more information and tickets to concerts, visit www.goldenlink.org.